CJ ENM gears up for 2nd KCON in Saudi Arabia

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

Entertainment & Arts

Tue, September 26, 2023 | 03:41

K-pop

CJ ENM gears up for 2nd KCON in Saudi Arabia

Posted : 2023-09-15 17:54

Updated : 2023-09-17 09:07

The poster for KCON Saudi Arabia 2023 / Courtesy of CJ ENM

By Pyo Kyung-min

CJ ENM announced that KCON Saudi Arabia 2023 will take place on Oct. 6 and 7 at the Mohammed Abdu Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City.

The event is set to feature an impressive lineup of 14 K-pop acts, including Dreamcatcher, EL7Z UP, EVNNE, Everglow, Highlight, Hyolyn, KARD, Oh My Girl, RIIZE, Super Junior, Super Junior D&E, TEMPEST, The New Six and 8TURN.

This is going to be the second KCON hosted in Saudi Arabia, following the resounding success of its inaugural edition held from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1 last year, which drew some 20,000 fans.

A poster shows 14 K-pop acts participating in KCON Saudi Arabia 2023. Courtesy of CJ ENM

Building on its 11-year success streak, KCON has hosted KCON Thailand 2023 in March, followed by KCON Japan 2023 in May which brought 123,000 spectators together.

The trend continued with KCON LA 2023 in August, spanning three days at Crypto.com Arena and the LA Convention Center, where it shattered its own attendance record with a whopping 140,000 attendees.

CJ ENM's music content business head Shim Jun-beom said in a press release that this year's KCON will offer a more diverse range of shows and conventions, especially given the passing of the pandemic.

"Through KCON, we remain committed to serving as a global platform for K-pop enthusiasts, facilitating their interactions and providing opportunities to enjoy various K-culture content, both online and offline," Shin said.

pzzang@koreatimes.co.kr